What is the story of NS2?

beyond.wudgebeyond.wudge Join Date: 2012-10-19 Member: 162731Members
Truly excellent games often tell a story. Stories aren't always about words but the best stories are ones that matter to the people experiencing them. They convey emotions and ideas.

Counter-strike had terrorists and counter-terrorists. The story was of good vs evil but with an interesting nuance, the evil men were not as useless or as hopeless thirdworlders as people had thought. They were trained, organised and mirrored the growing feeling amongst people that they were a real threat as numerous incidents happened in various countries. Sure, it wasn't strictly accurate but it reflected a popular notion and spoke to what people were starting to think about the whole issue.

Starcraft 1 talked about humans lost in amongst a battle of powers so beyond themselves that they cannot hope to compete, yet they were important and had their part to play in the bigger affairs of the universe. South Korea, stuck between the communist bloc and America, at the heart of a proxy war between the two greatest powers of the time yet still having it's role to play latched onto Starcraft 1 and made it into an esport.

What is NS2 saying? What should it say? The best games have something to say even if they are just multiplayer deathmatches.

What do you guys think it should say?

Comments

  • |strofix||strofix| Join Date: 2012-11-01 Member: 165453Members
    the enemy approaches
  • RockyMarcRockyMarc Join Date: 2009-11-24 Member: 69519Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    The filthy smelling things with 2 legs are trying to steal our yummys!
  • YMICrazyYMICrazy Join Date: 2012-11-02 Member: 165986Members
    This is part of the story

    <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-ydzY9tg5c" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-ydzY9tg5c</a>
  • WhiteWeaselWhiteWeasel Join Date: 2012-11-25 Member: 173197Members
    From what Kouji_San told me, the line between good guy and bad guy are blurred between the TSF and Kharaa.

    <!--quoteo(post=2038086:date=Nov 30 2012, 04:17 PM:name=Kouji_San)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kouji_San @ Nov 30 2012, 04:17 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2038086"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->...Besides most evidence points to humanity being the aggressors by seeking that which is basically the Kharaa's food source (Sludge stuff from the resnodes) and since the TSF have no interest in communicating with them to work on a diplomatic solution, because it isn't profitable. I mean the TSF is based on the war effort and sector control. They own the transportation systems. Put all of this together and you can see how humans (especially the TSF) are quite evil.


    This is mostly how I see it though :P<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    And to be honest I find it fitting that the humans are at least partially the bad guys. Look how we are now, we're having wars, racism, etc... if we can't be nice to ourselves, how could we be to another race? (Assuming little changes or its undone (like a dictator) by the time we have interstellar travel).
  • StriderNS2StriderNS2 Join Date: 2012-12-22 Member: 175867Members
    edited January 2013
    <!--quoteo(post=2064082:date=Jan 20 2013, 10:52 PM:name=RockyMarc)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RockyMarc @ Jan 20 2013, 10:52 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2064082"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The filthy smelling things with 2 legs are trying to steal our yummys!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    But I use:
    <img src="http://cdn.madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Old-Spice-guy.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

    Sure you can share your yummys.
  • whoppaXXLwhoppaXXL Join Date: 2006-11-03 Member: 58298Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Props to Kouji. Laid out as imagined.
  • |strofix||strofix| Join Date: 2012-11-01 Member: 165453Members
    edited January 2013
    The "are humans the good guys or the bad guys" plot requires the non human side to have distinct and identifiable human characteristics for the reader/player to identify with. This is just a case of man vs beast, with no moral guideline existing for reference.

    Its like watching Jurassic Park and thinking "wow they are such ######s for not just getting eaten", or "the dinosaurs are really mean for doing what comes naturally to them".
  • Evil_bOb1Evil_bOb1 Join Date: 2002-07-13 Member: 938Members, Squad Five Blue
    I didn't know Counter-Strike had a story, its more like an excuse for gaming. Just like saving a princess is an excuse for platforming.

    All in all, it point out our perception of what we consider 'us' and 'others'.
  • AzaralAzaral Join Date: 2012-11-19 Member: 172408Members
    edited January 2013
    See background: <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/wiki/index.php/Frontiersmen" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/wiki/index.php/Frontiersmen</a> <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/wiki/index.php/Kharaa" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/wiki/index.php/Kharaa</a>
  • DavilDavil Florida, USA Join Date: 2012-08-14 Member: 155602Members, Constellation
    edited January 2013
    <img src="http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/250x250/33725149.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /> vs. <img src="http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/250x250/33725207.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns/world/background/" target="_blank">Six Days in Sanji</a>
  • WakeWake Join Date: 2003-03-05 Member: 14351Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=2064183:date=Jan 21 2013, 08:14 AM:name=Evil_bOb1)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Evil_bOb1 @ Jan 21 2013, 08:14 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2064183"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->...
    All in all, it point out our perception of what we consider 'us' and 'others'.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    The enemy is stupid, he thinks we are the enemy while he is.
  • beyond.wudgebeyond.wudge Join Date: 2012-10-19 Member: 162731Members
    edited January 2013
    There's quite a variety of things being put out there already but lets see if they can be pulled together.

    So the gist of the wiki fluff/some other stuff is that that the world order is corrupt and evil, but there is hope that a new order may arise to fight the monsters of our time! Yay America! Yay the military!

    But Kouji-san believes that this new order is just the old one with a new wash of paint on it. That the Trans-Systems Federation (*cough Star Trek cough*) is simply another human endeavour and consequently just as bigoted and paranoid in nature as any other. Humans are bad! Wall street is bad!

    And Strofix believes that these monsters are indeed simply monsters who there is no moral imperative to guide one's relations with. Animals are bad! Animal rights are bad!

    Yet Davil introduces the notion of progress in opposition to the 'other.' That progress through technology can overcome the 'other' which represents the natural order and therefore stagnation. Yay America! Yay the military! Yay animal testing!

    Sound right to you? ;)
  • SquishpokePOOPFACESquishpokePOOPFACE -21,248 posts (ignore below) Join Date: 2012-10-31 Member: 165262Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    <img src="http://www.honorofkings.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/All-animals-are-equal.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
  • killer monkeykiller monkey Join Date: 2010-02-26 Member: 70743Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Find the ns_origin backstory, explains alot
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    <!--quoteo(post=2064082:date=Jan 20 2013, 10:52 PM:name=RockyMarc)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RockyMarc @ Jan 20 2013, 10:52 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2064082"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The filthy smelling things with 2 legs are trying to steal our yummys!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Best description of the backstory yet :)
  • john_bjohn_b Join Date: 2011-03-10 Member: 85608Members
    edited January 2013
    this exact sound <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_1GmxKwZ5Y&feature=player_detailpage#t=385s" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_1GmxKwZ5Y...tailpage#t=385s</a>
    is the story of natural selection

    natural selection closely resembles the movie "Aliens". the only difference is, instead of the black aliens we have the kharaa. I'm okay with this.
    from what I remember theres not much beyond "Spooky aliens infest/attack frontier colonies & facilities of humans".

    It's the same old "We lost contact with one of our outlying facilities, go investigate" type sci-fi plot, but it works.
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